


Redemption

by nokomist



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Ninja, Red String of Fate, Slow Burn, isekai - another world
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:47:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25094842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nokomist/pseuds/nokomist
Summary: Ukai gave her a faint smile. “He wasn’t always like this, you know. Tsukishima was a gentle and quiet child.”Chiyo was stunned. “Gentle” and “quiet” didn’t belong in the same sentence as “Tsukki.” Then she remembered what Yamaguchi mentioned so long ago, something she knew she shouldn’t bring up with him again.“What happened? Did it… have to do with his brother?”“Yes… It did.” Ukai seemed wistful, his eyes looking forward but not really seeing. “It changed him.”-Chiyo's biggest worry used to be getting left behind by her brother Kenma and childhood crush Kuroo. Then she got involved with the Karasuno ninjas and an old vendetta.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Original Female Character(s), Tsukishima Kei/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. This isn't Tokyo

The urgent buzzing of the phone alarm abruptly shook Chiyo awake from her sleep. Groaning, her hand fumbled for her phone on her bedside table to shut it off. She was dreaming an old dream and it always felt familiar, but she could never remember more than a few blurry details. Orange flames surrounded her and the stifling wall of heat that accompanied it, just before it all abruptly ended in darkness.

With a sigh, Chiyo groggily sat up and checked the time on her phone. _6:50 AM? Why did I set my alarm so early…._ And then she remembered. She quickly flipped off her blanket and stumbled her way to the bathroom to get ready for school. Today was one of the rare days she could walk to school with Kenma and Kuroo there was no way she was getting left behind for sleeping a little longer.

After washing her face and quickly brushing her teeth, she hustled back to her small bedroom room and threw on the white blouse and navy pleated skirt that made up her school uniform. Chiyo briefly checked in the mirror to see if she tied the red bow correctly around her collar. She glanced at her hair and frowned a little. It was jet black, but the strands were so fine and perfectly straight that they looked a little boring framing her small face. Chiyo didn’t usually pay attention to her appearance, but today was different. _Not like I can do much with shoulder length hair anyway_ , she sighed. Regardless, she grabbed her usually neglected comb and tried to remove a few prominent knots before grabbing her bag.

Downstairs, she found Kenma already at the kitchen table and busy playing a new game on his phone. Chiyo and her brother weren’t related by blood but the resemblance was eerily uncanny, from their golden cat-like eyes to their petite frames. They used to only differ by a tiny mole under her eye where Kenma’s was unblemished. Now, the most telltale difference was their hair; Kenma didn’t grow his hair past his chin, and the only evidence of his black hair was at the roots. He dyed his hair blonde when he entered high school, saying something about trying to fit in, but Chiyo suspected that it was to prevent their teachers and classmates from mixing them up again.

“Hey,” Kenma greeted her quietly, without taking his eyes away from his game. “Morning,” Chiyo replied just as softly. The pair didn’t have trouble hearing each other, but they were both so soft-spoken that most other people couldn’t. Chiyo took a seat at the table and pulled out her phone too.

Chiyo usually spent her mornings alone since her adoptive parents left early for work and Kenma had volleyball practices. Today was one of the rare days when he didn’t, and Chiyo quite enjoyed his quiet company. They were comfortable sitting in silence with each other.

“Good morning!” a voice boomed from outside, and suddenly their front door slammed open to reveal their next-door neighbour. Chiyo and Kenma glanced up from their phones to see Kuroo’s crooked grin and typical spiky bedhead. His black fringe completely covered one of his hazel eyes. “Ready to go?”

With identical nods, Chiyo and Kenma slid out of their chairs to meet Kuroo at the door. Despite their lackluster greetings, both siblings were fond of their outgoing childhood friend. Walking to school together used to be a regular occurrence when they were younger, but it ended when Kuroo and Kenma joined Nekoma High’s volleyball team. Chiyo only saw Kuroo when morning practices were cancelled, so she definitely wasn’t going to let this one go to waste. Waiting for Kenma to lock the door, Chiyo nervously pulled at the ends of her hair before looking up at Kuroo.

“Hi Chiyo-chan! It’s been too long,” Kuroo greeted her. In contrast to the siblings, Kuroo towered over them with his muscular build. “Are you taller than me yet?” he grinned.

Kenma snorted from behind Kuroo, but Chiyo was frozen in place staring back at Kuroo. “Uh….” Somehow, she forgot how handsome Kuroo had become and it was really not helping her come up with a reply.

“How about boys? Any new ones recently?” he teased.

Chiyo’s cheeks instantly flushed red, taking a moment before she remembered to shake her head. Teasing Kenma was one thing, but Chiyo knew Kuroo found that it much more entertaining to tease her instead. Kenma could brush off most of his prodding, but Chiyo hadn’t learned to stop her face from turning bright red before abruptly looking down.

Satisfied, Kuroo chuckled and patted Chiyo on the head before turning to lead the way to school. “Soon! But if some boy ever makes you cry, you tell me, got it?” Kuroo gave his signature crooked grin. “No one hurts our little Chiyo-chan, right Kenma?” Chiyo’s heart skipped a beat, a bit more than touched. She could smell his laundry detergent from being that close, light but fresh.

“Off we go!” Kuroo’s long legs set a brisk pace that made Chiyo scramble to keep up. She also forgot how much longer his strides were. “Ok so, thoughts on tattoos? People get matching ones all the time!”

Kenma huffed. “You do realize tattoos are permanent, right?”

Kuroo guffawed. Kuroo had a distinct kind of laughter that was hearty and infectious. It made Chiyo’s cheek twitch in amusement and filled her with a breath of sunshine. “That’s the point. Just like how I’m permanently stuck with you two.”

Kenma rolled his eyes. “You should get matching ones with Bokuto instead.”

Kuroo stroked his chin in thought, shit-eating grin plastered on his face. “That is an _excellent_ idea, except we already have a bet going on. Winner decides on the tattoo for the loser.” He glanced back at Chiyo and winked. Her eyes widened and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks once again.

Kenma sighed. “Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”

Kuroo chuckled. “Ok, but I still want something for us.”

When Chiyo finally joined them at Nekoma High a few weeks ago, it suddenly occurred to Kuroo that they had only one year together and thus must get something matching to commemorate their friendship. She knew Kuroo wouldn’t pressure them into anything Kenma and Chiyo truly didn’t want, which was also why this whole matching tattoo idea was still on the table. It was terrifying, but they weren’t completely against it.

“Chiyo too? Look at her. She’s not a delinquent,” Kenma pointed out in an even voice.

Kuroo glanced back at Chiyo and her cheeks resumed their bright red colour. “But it’ll be so small! No one’s going to see it, right Chiyo-chan?” Kuroo asked, but Chiyo was too stunned to reply. “Just think about it! I already have an idea of the design, one big dot and two smaller dots on each side.” He grinned. “I’m the big dot. You two are the small dots, obviously.”

Kenma groaned in response. Chiyo knew that Kuroo had already won. Kenma and her always ended up going along with his ideas.

“So Kenma, about this weekend…” Kuroo and Kenma then drifted off into a conversation about their upcoming volleyball practice weekend. Which really meant Kuroo talked continuously at Kenma and received the occasional quiet but short reply. Chiyo usually walked a step behind them, but she trailed further and further behind as she realized this conversation was one she couldn’t really join. Her initial excitement of walking together slowly fizzled out.

Chiyo couldn’t remember the last time that the three of them did anything together that wasn’t just walking to school. As children, Kuroo used to come over every weekend to play video games with Kenma. Even if Kenma’s parents were the only parents she could remember, being adopted meant Chiyo harboured a deep insecurity that she didn’t truly belong. It was Kuroo who coaxed her out of her room and made every effort to make her feel welcomed. The boys let Chiyo tag along for all the games they played, and so the three of them were always found together in Kenma’s room. Now, neither Kuroo and Kenma were ever around. Chiyo couldn’t help feeling once again pushed out, but by this new wall called volleyball. It was sad.

Chiyo did try to share their common interest at first. She joined the girls’ volleyball team for a bit, but it wasn’t the same. She didn’t like it enough to practice as hard as Kuroo and Kenma did. Quite honestly, Kenma surprised her. Like her, he didn’t really feel passionate about anything to work so hard for it. Being able to play with Kuroo probably had something to do with it, but the boys’ team wasn’t possible for Chiyo.

They’ve gone somewhere Chiyo couldn’t follow.

* * *

Later that day, Chiyo came home to an empty house. Her parents weren’t back from work yet, and Kenma was still at practice. Chiyo sighed quietly, then closed the door behind her.

Suppressing a yawn, Chiyo decided to make herself a cup of tea to keep herself awake. _I really should’ve slept earlier last night if I was going to wake up so early_ , Chiyo thought regretfully. Rummaging through the kitchen cupboards, she dug out her aunt’s tin of oolong tea and scooped some into a paper filter. While she waited for the stove to heat up to boil the kettle of water, she took a seat at the dining table and scrolled through her phone absentmindedly.

Chiyo felt like she only blinked before the kettle whistled and woke her up from her too short nap. _Ahhh I didn’t even realize I fell asleep!_ Her eyes blinked lazily a few times before she got up to attend to the kettle. Chiyo poured the water into her mug of tea and set the kettle on a coaster before bringing her bag and mug upstairs to her room.

Chiyo dropped her bag on the floor and set the mug on her desk and then paused. _Hmm… ok, 15 minutes but that’s it!_ Chiyo quickly set an alarm for 15 minutes, then sprawled across her bed and instantly fell asleep.

So deep asleep, she didn’t wake up to the chimes of her phone alarm.

She didn’t smell the smoke from the stove still left on.

Or feel the flames engulfing her room.

* * *

When Chiyo finally woke up, it was to something cold and sharp pressing into her neck.

Chiyo’s eyes snapped open to see golden-brown eyes staring intently at her.

“Who are you?” a low voice growled.

“Tsukki?”

The golden-brown eyes widened briefly, then immediately narrowed.

“How do you know me?”

Chiyo’s whole body was rigid as she stared back at those cold eyes. Tsukki’s head and most of his face were covered by black cloth, and his face was so close to hers that she couldn’t really see anything else.

“Uh…” she gulped. Chiyo’s mind was still a confused fog from having just woken up, and the pressure of the cold blade made it even harder to think clearly. “I don’t know you, exactly… But you’re from Karasuno.”

Tsukki’s eyes gleamed dangerously. “Tell me one good reason why I shouldn’t slit your throat right now.”

Chiyo’s heart beat erratically in her chest as she scrambled for something to say, but no words came to her. Flustered, her eyes started to well up. She didn’t know Tsukki could be this terrifying.

Just as the blade broke the surface of her skin, a soft voice spoke from somewhere behind Tsukki, “Wait… Maybe we should bring her back with us.”

Not taking his eyes off Chiyo, Tsukki replied, “Why? She recognized me. If she knows where Karasuno is, we’ll have to kill her anyway.”

“I think we need to figure out how she knows,” the voice answered. It was a male but Chiyo didn’t recognize it. “But we can’t do it here. We’re already close. And this way, we won’t have to destroy any traces leading back to the village.”

There was a tense moment while Tsukki pondered this suggestion. Chiyo held her breath and tried to stop the tears from leaking out of her eyes. Her heart was racing a mile a minute.

“Tsk.” Tsukki lifted the blade from Chiyo’s neck and stood up. Chiyo released a shaky sigh of relief, then she was roughly pulled up to her feet.

Chiyo quickly rubbed her tears away, and then froze. _This is most definitely not my room_ , she realized. All she could see around her were trees. Chiyo noticed that the other voice belonged to someone of medium build, but she couldn’t make out many features. His head and face were similarly covered, a few freckles noticeable just below his green-brown eyes. His eyes seemed much kinder than Tsukki’s. Both were covered in all black clothing, leaving only their eyes visible.

Before she could observe anything else, a blindfold was placed over her eyes and her hands were swiftly bound in front.

“Move,” Tsukki commanded from somewhere in front of her. Then they were walking.

* * *

Unable to see, Chiyo was having trouble finding her way without tripping over stray branches and shrubbery. It felt like days since they started walking in silence, except for the occasional bird whistles, the rustling of the leaves, and the branches snapping under her clumsy feet. It was probably only an hour, but Chiyo’s feet ached and her ankles were starting to feel sore from constantly stumbling over obstacles she couldn’t see. The coarse strands from the rope binding her hands were chafing against the tender undersides of her wrists.

Leading the way was Kei Tsukishima, or at least she thought he was. The Tsukki Chiyo knew was one of Kuroo’s volleyball friends who she met at one of Nekoma’s practice games against Karasuno High. Kuroo introduced her to both of their teams, but Chiyo was overwhelmed with meeting that many people at once, and frankly, she was awful with names. Tsukki was one of the few who stuck out because he was the tallest at Karasuno, and probably because he was also another victim of Kuroo’s teasing. Tsukki frowned a lot, but he comically scowled whenever Kuroo called him by his nickname and all the other things that provoked him. Chiyo couldn’t help calling him as Tsukki too; Kuroo introduced him to her as Tsukki and it stuck. _If Kuroo was here…._ Chiyo started to wish earnestly. Without Kuroo’s playful poking and prodding to break his cold facade, this Tsukki was incredibly intimidating.

Honestly, Chiyo was terrified and hopelessly confused. She couldn’t remember how she ended up in a forest, let alone what led to Tsukki pressing a small dagger – _a kunai?_ – to her throat. Tsukki didn’t seem to recognize her, although she wasn’t too surprised about that. As they walked, it sank in that Chiyo was only alive because of his partner. Killing was most definitely illegal, but she was pretty sure that wouldn’t have stopped Tsukki in the slightest. Chiyo was silently grateful to her saviour.

The other man followed closely behind Chiyo to make sure she didn’t try to run. His footsteps were so light that she wouldn’t have known he was there, except for the occasional hand steadying her when she tripped yet again. In fact, Chiyo’s awkward stumbling was making enough noise for all three of them. Based on the cooling air, Chiyo guessed that the sun was almost set.

Eventually, Chiyo was able to pick out new sounds and smells. She could make out the ringing of metal hitting metal among the friendly chatter of distant voices. The smell of someone’s food wafted towards her and her mouth instantly watered. During that tense hour of walking in darkness, Chiyo didn’t realize how hungry she was until now. Some footsteps approached and stopped a few steps in front of Chiyo.

“You’re both back,” a male voice announced. His booming voice easily rang through the forest.

“We need to speak with Ukai-sama,” Tsukki explained without any greeting. “This girl somehow managed to get so close to the village undetected.” Tsukki’s voice then dropped to a murmur and Chiyo couldn’t make out what else he said.

“Well, you know where to take her. I’ll notify Ukai-sama,” the male voice replied.

“I can take her,” Tsukki’s partner insisted from behind Chiyo. “You need to get that shoulder looked at, Tsukki.”

There was a short pause, and then Chiyo flinched as the stranger suddenly burst into laughter. “You’re joking! Someone managed to land a hit on Tsuki-Perfect-shima?” he guffawed. “How does it feel to make mistakes like the rest of us?” Chiyo barely made out Tsukki’s “tsk” before she was aggressively pulled away from the man’s booming laughter.

After a few sharp turns and the rustling of a heavy cloth, Chiyo was pushed down to sit against something solid. Metal shackles were clamped onto her left wrist before the rope binding her hands was removed. Chiyo gratefully rubbed her wrists tenderly. Once her blindfolds were off, Chiyo squinted to readjust her eyes, the soft glow of the sunset from outside as the only source of light. It looked like she was in some sort of cloth tent, and the only thing furnishing it was the wooden beam she was shackled to.

Tsukki stood above her, scrutinizing her. Terrified, Chiyo immediately averted her eyes and looked down at her feet. She clenched her hands nervously. Wordlessly, Tsukki turned around and left the tent.

Chiyo sat in the dark, alone once again. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she tucked her head in and quietly let her tears flow.

* * *

Chiyo wasn’t sure how much time passed. The sun was long gone and she could barely make out the silhouette of her feet. Her tears were dried on her cheeks and her erratic heart had finally slowed down to a more regular pace, but her mind was numb as Chiyo stared at no particular point. _Kenma and Kuroo should be done practice now. They’ll notice that I’m not home_ , Chiyo silently hoped. _They’ll find me. They always do._

The tent flap rustled and Chiyo looked up to see three silhouettes enter, one of them holding a torch. Chiyo used her hand to shield her eyes from the bright light as she tried to see who they were.

Tsukki was in front and dressed in a deep blue yukata. His cropped blonde hair was no longer covered, and his frown out in the open. A step behind him was the man with the torch and a forest green yukata. Chiyo recognized his green-brown eyes and freckles as Tsukki’s partner. His face was much younger than she thought; he couldn’t be much older than her. His short, deep green hair was longer than Tsukki’s, made even more distinct by a flyaway tuft of hair sticking up at the top. The last person next to Tsukki was a much older man. His short gray-white hair and a tiny gray beard at the end of his chin indicated his years, but his athletic build was far from fragile. The confidence in his posture was a sign of someone comfortable with leadership. He was even more intimidating than Tsukki.

The older man stepped forward to study Chiyo. She could feel his eyes glance over her school uniform before stopping at her face. The man’s expression was unreadable, but Chiyo could feel his eyes rest on the mole under her eye. She squirmed, uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

In a gravelly but clear voice, the older man spoke, “Tsukishima and Yamaguchi told me that they found you outside our village. Very few people get this close to Karasuno, and even fewer live to see it. Care to explain?”

“I don’t know, sir…. I don’t really remember,” Chiyo answered in a small, trembling voice. “I got home from school and lay down to have a quick nap, but I woke up and saw Tsukki. I don’t know how I got here.”

“Tsukki?” The old man raised an eyebrow and turned to the blonde beside him. “Tsukishima, you said you don’t know her?” At the shake of his head, he turned back to look at Chiyo. “How do you know Tsukishima?”

“Uh… I mean I don’t, exactly…. He’s friends with one of my closest friends,” Chiyo replied. At the thought of Kuroo, her eyes pricked. _Kuroo, hurry up! Please find me already._

The old man snorted. “I didn’t realize Tsukishima had friends, other than Yamaguchi here.” Tsukishima crossed his arms and scowled. Yamaguchi snickered from behind.

There was a brief silence as the old man studied Chiyo’s face. Her palms were becoming sweaty with nervousness. “Alright, let’s say I believe you, that you can’t remember how you accidentally and miraculously stumbled upon our hidden village. Where did you come from?”

“Tokyo. Nerima Ward, actually,” Chiyo answered easily. This question was the only one that had a straightforward answer.

His brows furrowed. “I’ve never heard of Tokyo. Is it one of those smaller villages on the outskirts?”

Apparently, it wasn’t so straightforward. “No, sir….” Chiyo stated carefully. “It’s really big.” _How do they not know Tokyo?_ Then the colour drained from her face as a thought occurred to her. _Does this mean I’m not anywhere near Tokyo?_

“Do you know how to get back?”

“No, sir,” Chiyo replied softly.

The old man looked at her pensively. Chiyo couldn’t guess at what he was thinking.

“As mysterious as your story is, it seems to me that you’ve been telling the truth. Or my ability to read people is getting rusty with age,” he chuckled. “I don’t think there’s much harm keeping you here in the village, not unless someone comes looking for you.” Chiyo stiffened, as that was exactly what she was hoping for. “But Karasuno is difficult to get to. It’s quite impressive that you made it this far on your own,” he commented.

Tsukki interrupted for the first time since entering the tent. “Ukai-sama, isn’t it safer for us to get rid of her? If she escapes and tells someone, our location will be compromised.”

“Tsukishima, sometimes killing is necessary, but this isn’t one of those times,” Ukai said sternly, and then his voice softened. “Death is not always the answer. Remember that.” Chiyo caught a glimpse of his eyes filled with a deep sorrow.

“What’s your name, child?” Ukai gently asked Chiyo.

“Chiyo Kozume, sir,” she squeaked. He gave her a small smile. “I’m Ikkei Ukai.” This old man seemed much kinder than the one who first entered the tent.

“Chiyo, you’re welcome to stay here until you can find your way home,” Ukai continued. “My only condition is that everyone here has a role to contribute to Karasuno, and so shall you. We can discuss what that will be tomorrow.”

Ukai turned around to face the two young men. “Yamaguchi, Tsukishima. The two of you will be responsible for her. See to it that she’s properly taken care of.” He paused, then added, “Especially you, Tsukishima. It’s only fitting if she’s a common friend of yours.” Ukai grinned mischievously as Tsukki’s scowl deepened.

“It was nice to meet you, Chiyo.” Chiyo gave him a small nod of her head. Tsukki and Yamaguchi bowed to Ukai as he turned around and left her alone in the tent with them. Tsukki sighed as Yamaguchi shrugged and gave him a small smile. He passed the torch to Tsukki and knelt by Chiyo.

“Hi Chiyo, I’m Tadashi Yamaguchi,” he greeted in his soft voice. “Let’s get you somewhere more comfortable.”


	2. Karasuno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I must say, I completely underestimated how hard it is to write creatively. So much respect for all the fanfic authors!

Chiyo knelt by the river, arms deep in cold water as she scrubbed at one of the many yukatas she had to clean for the day. Her hands were numb and wrinkled from the water, but she didn’t mind the repetitive motion of scrubbing fabric and wringing them out. It was calming, and the sound of the rushing water was just loud enough that Chiyo didn’t feel obligated to talk to whoever was doing laundry next to her that day.

Squeezing out the water from the one she just finished, Chiyo reached for the next yukata and realized it was the deep blue one that Tsukki wore all those weeks ago. Frowning, she contemplated “accidentally” losing it in the river, but Chiyo eventually tossed it aside and dug for a different one in the pile. _He can get his clothes last_ , she decided. Chiyo knew she was being petty, but he hadn’t exactly been all that great to her. Tsukki did the bare minimum to ensure she was settling in, just enough so that he wouldn’t be scolded by Ukai. _Can’t exactly forget that he was also the biggest advocate for leaving my body in a ditch,_ Chiyo sighed.

On the other hand, Yamaguchi was much kinder to her. He had been sending her off with various villagers to find a task that Chiyo could help with, but the list was very short. She didn’t have the faintest idea how to hunt, nor how to skin the animals to cook them. She tried to help one of the sociable women tending the garden of herbs and other medicinal plants, but Chiyo had zero experience with plants. By the end of that stint, Chiyo was pretty sure the poor gardener was ready to impale Chiyo with her pruning shears.

Chiyo continued to be assigned to follow different people for another week until Yamaguchi realized that she could only do laundry reliably on her own. She was still occasionally asked to help with other tasks, but Chiyo spent most of her time by the river going through the endless piles of yukatas, dressings, and other fabrics.

In the first few days, Chiyo held on tightly to the hope that Kuroo and Kenma would come and bring her home. She kept denying all the signs that indicated it was impossible, the first of which was that no one knew where Tokyo was. After that meeting with Ukai, Chiyo asked almost everyone in Karasuno but no one had even heard of it. Weeks later, in her heart of hearts, she knew they weren’t coming. Chiyo just wasn’t ready to accept it yet because that meant she’d have to acknowledge her growing suspicion that not only was she in the wrong place, she was in the wrong era.

Chiyo was grateful for the pale blue yukata that she now wore because her school uniform really stuck out. The village women she stayed with kept fussing that her pleated skirt was indecently short. Chiyo also found out that she couldn’t get any reception, so she had since turned her cellphone off and kept it tucked in the folds of her yukata. Chiyo didn’t have her phone charger, but it wasn’t like she had an outlet to use anyway. There was no electricity or running water in these wooden and straw houses.

Not only that, Karasuno wasn’t just some backwater village in the mountains that was surrounded by forests – it was a shinobi village. Most people wore yukatas as they went about doing their daily tasks, but occasionally Chiyo would catch a glimpse of those dressed in the same black clothes that Tsukki and Yamaguchi wore when they first met. When she asked Tsukki and Yamaguchi about it, Yamaguchi stammered something about just another village job, whereas Tsukki scowled and ignored her altogether. Their suspicious behaviour helped Chiyo arrive at her own conclusion that those people were shinobis.

Lost in her thoughts, Chiyo didn’t notice when she washed Tsukki’s blue yukata and finished her load for the day. Grabbing her wicker basket of clothes, Chiyo made her way up the path back to the village alone, being the last to finish. Chiyo squinted at the sun just above the top of the trees. _I miss being able to tell what time it is_ , she lamented. _It’s just sunrise and sunset._

Just as she passed the first wooden house, Chiyo noticed movement at the edge of her vision in the direction of the training grounds. She had never walked there on her own, but in the distance Chiyo caught sight of Tsukki’s blonde hair, which meant that the olive-haired person he was fighting against was Yamaguchi. After hanging the clothes to dry behind the communal women’s house, Chiyo wiped the sweat from her brows and decided to visit the training grounds. _I guess today is as good as any._

Chiyo took a seat just outside the open space, the ground bare of any grass and packed hard from frequent use. Yamaguchi often trained on his own long after everyone stopped for dinner, so it was rare to see Tsukki join him. Chiyo knew they heard her settle down to watch them, but the two young men were focused on each other and didn’t acknowledge her. Chiyo didn’t know anything about hand-to-hand combat, but she could analyze their movements and concluded that Tsukki was the superior fighter. Yamaguchi was constantly on the defensive and pushed back, while Tsukki continued to advance.

“I see you’ve found the training grounds,” a gravelly voice spoke next to her. Chiyo jumped and her eyes snapped up. “Ukai-sama!” she exclaimed. She didn’t notice when Ukai arrived.

Chiyo scrambled to her feet to bow to the elderly man. Yamaguchi and Tsukki also paused their spar to pay their respects. After Ukai nodded his head in acknowledgement, Chiyo straightened and Yamaguchi and Tsukki resumed their match.

“I never had a reason to be here, sir,” Chiyo replied. “I don’t know how to fight.” Realizing that Ukai’s eyes remained fixed on the sparring match, she turned to observe as well.

“Then what are you hoping to achieve by merely watching them?” Ukai inquired.

“I…” Chiyo paused. Quite frankly, she was just curious. Chiyo usually finished laundry too late to watch any spars, but she suddenly felt self-conscious of her answer. “If I observed strong fighters, maybe I could learn something.”

Ukai smirked. “And what have you learned? Are they strong fighters?”

Chiyo became flustered as she tried to choose her words carefully. “Yes, but…. Tsukki is better.”

Ukai hummed. “Yes, I suppose that Yamaguchi continuously losing ground makes it obvious to even a pair of untrained eyes.”

“Yamaguchi is a good fighter too…” Chiyo mumbled hesitantly. “He’s just… He’s not taking advantage of Tsukki’s current state,” Chiyo finished shyly.

Ukai’s eyes glanced at Chiyo. “Oh? Then what do you suggest Yamaguchi should do?”

Chiyo froze. She realized her comment implied that she knew more than Yamaguchi, who clearly had years of combat experience over Chiyo’s few minutes of watching. She blushed. “I don’t mean to disrespect them, sir. I don’t know anything about fighting.”

“Not at all. Speak freely,” Ukai chuckled.

“I just… Tsukki favours his right side just a bit more than his left. He punches and kicks with equal strength, but it’s like… whenever Tsukki punches with his left hand, he takes just a bit longer to bring his hand back. Maybe Tsukki isn’t fully healed from his shoulder injury and he’s trying to hide it, but it shows in his recovery.” Chiyo swallowed. “I think… Yamaguchi has an opening right after Tsukki’s left-hand punch.”

When she finished, Chiyo realized that Ukai was regarding her intently with a mixture of curiosity and surprise. Then he turned to face Tsukki and Yamaguchi and raised a hand to signal them to stop. They immediately ceased their spar and bowed to Ukai, Yamaguchi breathing harder than Tsukki.

“Yamaguchi.” Yamaguchi stepped forward to where Ukai and Chiyo stood. In a low voice that Tsukki wouldn’t hear, Ukai sternly commanded, “The next time Tsukki strikes with his left hand, instead of blocking, I want you to redirect it.” Chiyo’s eyes widened in surprise as she stared at Ukai, but he didn’t acknowledge it. Yamaguchi merely nodded, then returned to position himself in front of Tsukki.

Chiyo held her breath as the young men resumed their spar. Not long after, Tsukki delivered the fated left-handed punch. True to Ukai’s suggestion, instead of blocking it with his forearm, Yamaguchi used his hand to guide Tsukki’s fist past his body, causing Tsukki to strike air and lean too far forward. Continuing Tsukki’s momentum, Yamaguchi gripped Tsukki’s arm and proceeded to cleanly flip Tsukki over his shoulder. Tsukki landed hard on his back and his neck was immediately held in place by Yamaguchi’s forearm. Both young men then froze, Tsukki with eyebrows raised in surprise and Yamaguchi’s mouth wide open.

Chiyo eyes bulged, but not for long. She blinked, and then she too was flat on her back. Ukai was deceptively fast for his age and Chiyo didn’t register when he had swept her feet out from under her.

Ukai gazed down at her thoughtfully. “You were quite honest about not having an inkling of how to defend yourself.” Stunned, Chiyo sat up slowly as Ukai asked, “Remind me, what tasks have you been assigned to lately?”

“Uh, mostly laundry, sir.”

Ukai raised an eyebrow. “Really.” He gave Tsukki and Yamaguchi a skeptical look, both young men responsible for Chiyo now standing next to them. Tsukki averted his eyes and frowned while Yamaguchi blushed as he helped Chiyo to her feet. “It appears we need to re-evaluate your duties, but you three still need to eat. Chiyo, come see me after dinner.”

* * *

As soon as Chiyo wolfed down her plain tofu and rice, she sprinted to Ukai’s home. The idea of keeping someone like Ukai waiting made Chiyo too nervous and she ate as fast as she could. _I must’ve set a personal record for how fast I inhaled that._

Ukai’s house was in the heart of the village, made of wood with a straw roof like the rest of the houses. The major difference was its size, having been built more elaborately to indicate his position as the head of Karasuno. Chiyo found Ukai standing outside with his hands clasped behind his back and gazing at the stars. The cool breeze and the mild temperature made it much more bearable than the daytime heat.

Chiyo stopped in front of Ukai and respectfully bowed from her waist. When she straightened, Chiyo realized that Ukai was studying her cryptically. “Let’s take a walk,” he suggested. Chiyo nodded meekly, then stepped beside him to match his leisurely pace. They walked in silence, occasionally passing other people retiring for the night. The villagers always stopped to give Ukai a polite bow before continuing on their way.

“I used to take walks like this with my son,” Ukai commented nostalgically. “Keishin accompanies me sometimes, but it’s rare and almost never peaceful. Young folks don’t see a point in walking without a destination,” Ukai chuckled fondly. “Have you met Keishin yet?”

Chiyo shook her head. “No, sir.” Keishin Ukai oversaw shinobi training, so they’ve never crossed paths.

Chiyo hesitated before asking, “Why doesn’t your son walk with you anymore?”

There was a pause before Ukai spoke. “He… I lost my son in a fire.” Ukai’s eyes gazed sadly in the distance for a moment before slowly continuing. “It took him, his wife, and their young child. All I have left is my grandson Keishin, my daughter’s child.”

“I’m sorry,” Chiyo whispered. Her brows furrowed as she struggled to find the right words to say.

Ukai turned to give her a small but sad smile. “It was years ago. I’m afraid I reminisce more often at my age.”

A lull settled between them, where the only sounds were from the crunch of their footsteps and the calls of the crickets in the woods. “Do you miss him?” Chiyo asked quietly.

Ukai sighed deeply. “Yes. Very much.” His eyes crinkled as he continued, “A father should never have to bury his own son.”

“I… I lost my parents,” Chiyo shared hesitantly. “I don’t remember them though. It’s not really the same, but I can sort of understand.”

“Ah. I’m sorry someone so young has already experienced such great loss.” Ukai observed her thoughtfully. “Who’s waiting for you back home, if not your parents?”

“My brother and a… friend. The two of them and my adoptive parents have always taken care of me,” Chiyo replied. Tears filled her eyes. The familiar pain of homesickness engulfed her when Chiyo thought of them, remembering that she may never see them again.

Ukai hummed. “Karasuno doesn’t often receive visitors. Any news of the outside world is from what our people bring back from their missions. I’ve asked them to keep an eye out for any news of Tokyo, but there’s nothing so far.” Disappointed, Chiyo lowered her face and tried to keep her tears from falling. She knew how unlikely it was for anyone to hear about a city from the future, but Chiyo couldn’t help hoping.

“I think it’s impossible,” Chiyo whispered, then took a deep breath. She hadn’t shared her suspicion to anyone because although no one would believe her, voicing it would make it more true to Chiyo. However, at this point, she knew. This was real. If she was going to admit it to someone, it would be to Ukai. “I think Tokyo only exists in the future. Far, far into the future. I don’t… I can’t go home.”

Ukai stopped walking and turned to look at Chiyo carefully. Chiyo also stopped to meet his eyes. The uncomfortable silence stretched as Ukai scrutinized her carefully. Then his eyes softened.

“Child, you are very much like my son. You’re honest to a fault. Anyone can tell when you’re lying just by looking at your face.” He chuckled, then smiled gently. “I believe you.”

Chiyo was taken aback. She didn’t expect Ukai to believe her so readily. It took her a moment before realizing Ukai had resumed walking at his steady pace.

“That actually brings me to the original reason why I invited you on this walk with me. We can keep looking for a way to send you home, as impossible as it seems,” Ukai continued. “Until then, how do you feel about Karasuno being your home?” Chiyo’s eyes widened. _Wait, what?_

Ukai carried on, “I don’t know what you did before, but I think you have great potential as one of the Karasuno shinobi. As you are now, your combat prowess is severely lacking,” Ukai smirked, his eyes twinkling. “It’ll be hard, but it can be taught. What I saw today was someone with exceptional observational and analytical skills. Those will take you much further than combat skills alone.” Ukai waited patiently for her to reply.

Chiyo’s mind was racing with so many thoughts. She hadn’t really considered what she was going to do, but she didn’t realize becoming a shinobi was an option. Chiyo knew that her chances of getting home were slim and she couldn’t continue to wait idly for one, although it didn’t occur to her that she had more to contribute.

However, what truly called to her was the prospect of belonging somewhere, of feeling needed and having a purpose – it resonated with her. It was time she stopped waiting for Kuroo and Kenma to come save her. However, there was one prominent aspect that Chiyo had reservations about.

“Will I have to… eliminate someone?” Chiyo asked nervously. She averted her eyes, unable to say the other word.

When Chiyo’s eyes looked up to meet his again, Ukai was regarding her seriously. This was the expression of Ukai, the self-assured leader of Karasuno. “Yes, there will be times when there’s no way around it. It’s a heavy burden to bear, but it is one we gladly carry to protect our home.” His intense gaze relaxed. “But there will also be times when you don’t need to, as I’m sure you understand well. Giving someone a chance is the much harder path to take.”

Chiyo swallowed. The prospect of taking someone’s life was still unsettling to her, but Chiyo knew what she wanted. It just felt… right.

“I want to stay, sir,” she answered determinedly. “I’ll become a shinobi for Karasuno. I won’t let you down.”

“Excellent,” Ukai grinned widely. “I was sure you had other talents than washing clothes.”

* * *

Every morning for the following year, Chiyo and the other young shinobis arrived at the training grounds at the crack of dawn to meet with Keishin Ukai. He was several years older than Chiyo, probably in his mid 20s. His blonde hair stood out against his sharp brown eyes and tan skin. Keishin kept his hair held back using a string headband, maintaining his hair a bit longer than most men at Karasuno. He was more laidback than his grandfather and not nearly as intimidating, but Keishin was passionate and his training was rigorous. Chiyo lost count of how many times Keishin ordered them to sprint up the mountain and back, just to warm up.

In the practice matches, Chiyo could pick out her sparring partners’ tendencies and bad habits more easily than she did for Tsukki, especially since they weren’t as well-trained to hide them. However, her body couldn’t respond quickly enough to take advantage of them. Chiyo’s slender frame was never considered athletic by any standard and she had the least amount of training. With her body unable to keep up, Chiyo squarely lost all her sparring matches. By the time she lay down on her futon at the end of the day, the sheer exhaustion was enough to overpower her aches and pains, allowing Chiyo to fall asleep instantly.

Chiyo’s old dream still visited her, but sometimes she dreamt of simpler times like walking to school with Kenma and Kuroo. The details were gradually escaping her, like the exact way Kuroo’s untamed fringe covered part of his eye, or the particular shade of Kenma’s bleach blonde hair.

Before getting up each morning, Chiyo clutched her phone and diligently visualized them, trying not to forget their appearances and mannerisms. She knew she was in a losing fight against time.

* * *

In the evening after one of the most exhausting days of training, Chiyo was having major second thoughts about this whole shinobi business. _I hate being tired. Everything hurts. I don’t think I can even crawl back to my futon. I actually miss washing yukatas… Except maybe Tsukki’s._

So focused on trying to put one foot in front of the other, Chiyo had already put quite some distance from the food hut before she realized she was walking towards the village centre, not to her house at the edges. When Chiyo looked around to re-orient herself, she noticed Ukai leisurely walking towards her. She turned to him and bowed.

“Still getting lost? Karasuno really isn’t that big,” Ukai remarked. Chiyo’s face coloured in embarrassment and he chuckled. “Come join me on my walk. I’m already headed in your direction.”

The calmness of the evening and the quiet yet steady steps of Ukai helped Chiyo relax and temporarily forget about her aching body. It was a welcome contrast to her intense daytime routine.

Chiyo walked beside Ukai in silence and attentively listened to his low voice, brittle with age yet rich and warm. He occasionally commented on how large the garden herbs were growing, how the wind gently rustled the leaves – really, anything they passed that Chiyo didn’t notice during the day. Ukai had an appreciation for the little things that were often missed by others, too busy rushing from one task to the next. When he stopped, Chiyo didn’t realize they had already arrived at her house. The walk felt much too short.

Ukai bid her goodnight and continued on his way. Chiyo was left standing outside the entrance, quietly mulling over an idea.

The following evening after finishing her meal, Chiyo wandered towards the village centre and crossed paths with Ukai again.

Ukai raised an eyebrow. “Lost again?” Chiyo smiled sheepishly. Ukai chuckled, then beckoned her to join him.

By the third night, Chiyo was met with a knowing smile. Ukai simply nodded, and together, they slowly made their routine walk to her house.

* * *

Yamaguchi and Tsukki were considered full-fledged shinobis and trained separately when they weren’t out on a mission. When they were back, sometimes Yamaguchi joined Chiyo’s group to train and offer tips, like to snap her wrist more when throwing a shuriken. Chiyo was grateful for a familiar face. Everyone else was younger and friends for years; being a shy person, she found it even more difficult to approach them. They were friendly enough, but Chiyo caught the wary glances they sent her way. They were still cautious of her.

During a break on one of these visits, Chiyo asked, “Yamaguchi, I really appreciate your help, but why do you train with us? You’re so much more advanced.”

Yamaguchi rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. “I’m really not that great. I don’t have natural talent like Tsukki does, so I have to work harder to be good enough.” He paused, then added in a voice filled with remorse, “I don’t want to be a liability on our missions anymore.”

Chiyo glanced at him after the change in tone, but Yamaguchi didn’t seem like he was going to elaborate further. She didn’t want to press him, so she moved on and shook her head. “I honestly don’t understand how you two are friends. Tsukki is just so… arrogant,” Chiyo remarked. _How does Tsukki manage to keep such a nice person as a friend?_

Yamaguchi brightened and grinned. “You’re not the first to say that. I just really look up to him, even when we were kids. I kept following Tsukki around and eventually he got used to me sticking to him. He’s actually a pretty kind person once you get to know him.” Chiyo gave him a skeptical look, and Yamaguchi laughed again.

There was a brief pause as the two took a sip of water. “So why did you become a shinobi?” Chiyo asked. She couldn’t picture someone so gentle and friendly could be one.

“Same reason. I got too used to sticking with Tsukki, so when he decided to become a shinobi, I followed him.” Chiyo shook her head.

“So… why did Tsukki want to be one?”

This time, Yamaguchi looked more uncomfortable answering. “Well… He was following his older brother, Akiteru.”

“Tsukki has a brother?” Chiyo’s eyes widened. She couldn’t imagine having one snobby Tsukki around, let alone _two_ of them.

“Had,” Yamaguchi corrected her softly. “Tsukki really looked up to him,” he added.

“Oh.” Chiyo looked down, immediately feeling guilty. “What happened to him?”

Yamaguchi sighed regretfully.

“Me. I happened.”


	3. Training with the boys

By the end of her second year in Karasuno, Chiyo felt lonely. In the mornings and for most of the day, it wasn’t bad when they practiced on their own, like throwing shuriken or moving through combat forms. It was the afternoons at the training grounds that felt worse. At the end of each day, Keishin ordered them to do a short spar and put into practice the lesson they learned that day. It was more apparent how excluded Chiyo was when everyone quickly paired up to spar and she had to wait to see who was left. She was always hopeful for Yamaguchi’s visits because he never hesitated to ask her to be his partner.

On one of those days, Chiyo was moving through the sequence of katana forms when she spotted Yamaguchi making his way towards the training grounds. However, she was surprised to see a head of blonde hair and blue yukata walking beside him. Chiyo rarely saw Tsukki, let alone at the training grounds with her group of novice shinobi. Frowning, Tsukki barely acknowledged her before taking a seat at the edge of the open practice space.

“Hi Chiyo!” Yamaguchi waved to her. She smiled in return. She eyed Tsukki warily, who ignored her in favour of observing the other trainees with mild interest. “Need a partner?”

Chiyo nodded, then took a deep breath. She settled into her starting position, legs shoulder-width apart, arms raised and both hands wrapped around the dull katana. It wasn’t her weapon of choice considering its directly confrontational nature, but that wasn’t to say that Chiyo couldn’t use it well. Her strikes weren’t as strong as Yamaguchi’s, but she could use her small and nimble body to her advantage.

Yamaguchi stood in a few steps in front of her with another dull practice katana, eyes closed. He exhaled, opened his eyes, and dashed towards Chiyo. She barely reacted fast enough to block his swing at her left shoulder, her wrists and arms ringing from the impact of their katanas. After numerous spars against Yamaguchi, Chiyo was much better at keeping up with him. Her agility and sharp awareness helped her identify his combat tendencies, but they still couldn’t compare to years of training and field experience. Within a few minutes, Yamaguchi’s katana struck the side of her torso and she keeled over, winded.

Tsukki snorted. “You couldn’t block that?” he commented in his condescending voice. Chiyo turned her head to see him scowling at her from his seat, eyebrows furrowed.

Chiyo scowled right back but decided to ignore him. She got up and saw Yamaguchi’s concerned green-brown eyes. “Sorry Chiyo, I can slow down until you’re ready.”

Chiyo shook her head. She didn’t care for being on good terms with Tsukki, but she wasn’t about to let him think that she was soft. “Again,” she said determinedly. She resumed her starting position, ignoring the massive bruise she knew was forming on her side.

Yamaguchi smiled weakly, a little hesitant but took his position a few paces in front of her. This time, Chiyo attacked first, dashing towards him but just before she reached him, she nimbly stepped around him and swung from behind. Her agility helped her hit many of the other shinobi-in-training by aiming for that blind spot, but Yamaguchi was much more experienced. He anticipated her intentions and rapidly shifted his body to block. Chiyo transitioned quickly into an upward slice towards his shoulder but that was easily deflected. She kept trying to stay on the offensive, but the tables rapidly turned and then her feet were swept out from under her. Chiyo landed hard on her back, Yamaguchi’s katana immediately pressed firmly against her neck.

“Seriously? How are you still this bad?” Arms crossed, Tsukki’s scowl was somehow even deeper.

Yamaguchi pulled Chiyo to her feet, but she was hurt and angry. She whirled on Tsukki. “What _is_ your problem?”

Tsukki looked appalled. “ _My_ problem? _You’re_ the idiot! You call yourself a shinobi when can’t even block basic attacks?” he snapped. “On a real mission, it’s life or death. If you make a mistake, if you hesitate just a fraction of a second, someone dies.”

Tsukki took a breath to continue, but abruptly stopped when he glanced at Yamaguchi. Something passed between them but Chiyo couldn’t see what it was. It made Tsukki look away uncomfortably. Tsukki clicked his tongue and then sighed. He stood up and left as quickly as he came.

Now more confused than angry by his outburst, Chiyo turned to look at Yamaguchi, his expression a mixture of worry and sadness as he watched Tsukki leave. Yamaguchi sighed defeatedly.

“Sorry, Chiyo. Tsukki does mean well. He’s just worried you’ll get hurt.”

Chiyo scoffed. “He sure has a weird way of showing it.”

Yamaguchi smiled weakly. “Let’s continue? We can work on your footwork so you switch between forms more smoothly and quickly. You’re anticipating my movements pretty well, but you’re not adjusting fast enough.”

With that, Chiyo temporarily pushed Tsukki’s comments out of her mind and they settled into a rhythm. Each time she was knocked down or decisively hit, Yamaguchi talked her through what adjustments she could’ve done differently. Sparring was exhausting and Chiyo hated feeling out of breath, but she enjoyed the tactical aspect of it. She liked thinking strategically about how to defeat her opponent.

When Keishin announced that training was done for the day, Chiyo asked Yamaguchi if she could stay and continue practicing. Tsukki’s comments bothered her much more than she wanted to admit. Yamaguchi’s eyes widened in surprise, but he flashed her a genuine smile, glad to have someone join him for his additional training.

They finally stopped once the sun was completely set. Chiyo’s limbs already felt sore and her body was covered in developing bruises. She managed to land a few solid hits on Yamaguchi, but they paled in comparison to how many he got on her. Besides, Chiyo still had to hurry through dinner before meeting with Ukai for their usual walk.

At the mention of Ukai, Yamaguchi eyebrows furrowed as he seemed to contemplate something. After opening and closing his mouth multiple times, he decided to voice it. “Actually, Ukai-sama told Tsukki and me today that you’re going to come with us on our next mission.”

Chiyo’s head snapped to Yamaguchi, eyes wide with shock. “Me? But… I’m not a real shinobi yet. And there’s so many people here who are better than me.”

Yamaguchi shrugged. “I’m not sure why either. I guess that’s why Tsukki followed me today to see how you were doing.”

Chiyo grimaced, remembering how well that went. _No wonder he was so grumpy. He thinks I’ll be deadweight._

Yamaguchi chuckled. “Don’t stress too much. You’re doing great, regardless of what Tsukki says. You’ll be ready when we go. Besides, I’m glad it’s you,” Yamaguchi grinned.

Chiyo gave him a weak smile. _At least one of us is_.

* * *

After dinner, Chiyo made her way to the meeting spot at the centre of the village. Ukai already stood there waiting, watching her approach him. Chiyo bowed in greeting and he nodded in acknowledgement.

They walked in comfortable silence, then Ukai stated, “Keishin told me that you’re progressing quickly in your training. You did well to make up for your late start.”

“Thank you, sir.” Chiyo blushed, but she glowed with pride. Although she cared about what other people thought of her, Ukai’s opinion carried much more weight. However, Tsukki’s comments briefly flashed in her mind and she frowned. “But I still have a long way to go,” Chiyo mumbled.

Ukai chuckled. “Even the best of us have room for improvement.”

He paused before speaking again, but Chiyo already anticipated what he was going to say. “Keishin will make the announcement in a few days, but you’re ready to be a Karasuno shinobi.” He grinned slyly. “I just wanted to be the one to tell you. Pretend to be surprised when he does.”

_Oh._ Chiyo’s eyes widened, but it made sense. Only fully fledged shinobi went on missions.

Ukai scrutinized her carefully. “Seems like you were expecting to hear something else.”

Chiyo squirmed uncomfortably. She wasn’t sure if Yamaguchi was supposed to tell her, but it was too late to hide it now. “Ukai-sama… Yamaguchi told me that you’re sending me on a mission with him and Tsukki.”

“Ah.” Ukai nodded in understanding. “Yes, I did. We will have a briefing in a few days, after the initiation ceremony.”

“But… why me?” Chiyo asked quietly. “There’s so many people better than me.”

Ukai hummed. “Several reasons. For one, Tsukishima hasn’t gone on a mission with anyone except for Yamaguchi for years. He needs to learn how to work with other people.” Ukai smirked. Chiyo gave him an understanding grin in return. They both knew how prickly Tsukki was.

“There’s no question that Tsukishima is a one of Karasuno’s most skilled shinobi. Yamaguchi has also come a long way. Together, they make a formidable pair.” Ukai shook his head sadly. “But the nature of this mission is a… sensitive one. I’m afraid that if we send just the two of them as usual, it will become problematic.”

“That’s why it has to be you. You are their friend.” Chiyo opened her mouth to protest, but he merely chuckled. “At least, closer to a friend than anyone else is to Tsukishima, aside from Yamaguchi of course. They’ll accept you more readily. You can look out for the two of them not just as a fellow shinobi, but also as someone who cares.”

Ukai sighed. “Tsukishima is stubborn and Yamaguchi rarely opposes him. You’re lucky that it was one of those rare instances when they found you.” He gave Chiyo a sidelong glance and grinned. “But Tsukishima isn’t illogical. He will listen to reason. The last reason is that I’m hoping you can bring a new perspective. You have a sharp and analytical mind. Sometimes, after years of using the same strategy, even the greatest shinobi become trapped in the same line of thinking. He’ll need to consider alternatives when it doesn’t work anymore.”

Chiyo mulled it over. She didn’t know how to tell Ukai that there was no way _ever_ that Tsukki would listen to her. However, she owed it to Ukai to at least try. She nodded in acceptance.

Ukai gave her a faint smile. “He wasn’t always like this, you know. Tsukishima was a gentle and quiet child.”

Chiyo was stunned. “Gentle” and “quiet” didn’t belong in the same sentence as “Tsukki.” Then she remembered what Yamaguchi mentioned so long ago, something she knew she shouldn’t bring up with him again.

“What happened? Did it… have to do with his brother?”

“Yes… It did.” Ukai seemed wistful, his eyes looking forward but not really seeing. “It changed him.”

Chiyo swallowed. “How did it happen?” It suddenly occurred to her that she’s never asked how Ukai’s son died, but she wasn’t sure she was ready for that conversation yet.

Ukai glanced at her before looking forward once again. “A mission, one that I sent him on. Let’s leave it at that.” It was more of a command than a suggestion. Chiyo didn’t press further.

* * *

The next afternoon, Chiyo and Yamaguchi were sparring again, but with real katanas. Keishin said that Chiyo, along with a few of the oldest trainees, needed to practice with the weight and balance of a real weapon. She suspected that these people, like her, were soon to be real shinobi.

Truthfully, Chiyo was initially anxious about accidentally hurting Yamaguchi, even if the practice blade was dulled from years of use. However, her worries were quickly dashed away. He was still much more skilled than her, so she had to fully focus on parrying his attacks. The extra practice yesterday helped Chiyo hold her ground, and Yamaguchi was careful to stop his swings before they actually landed on her.

Much to her surprise, Chiyo spotted Tsukki making his way to the training grounds again, taking a seat at the same spot as yesterday. He didn’t acknowledge her, his chin slightly tilted upwards and eyes looking down his nose at other shinobi training. Chiyo glared at him, then turned away to face Yamaguchi.

Chiyo took a deep breath, but she could practically feel Tsukki’s glare burning holes into her back while she wasn’t looking at him. Her skin tingled with goosebumps. Chiyo shook her head. She needed her full attention to stand a chance against Yamaguchi.

This sparring round lasted longer than the previous. Chiyo was usually out of breath, but she noticed that Yamaguchi had also started to breathe harder. She grinned. _I’m finally becoming a challenge for him_. However, this round still ended with his katana stopping just above her shoulder, an opening created as she became tired and sloppy.

Tsukki audibly sighed. Chiyo whirled around, annoyed and ready to chuck her katana at him, until he commented, “We’re going to have to work on your form.”

Chiyo hesitated and frowned. She was about to retort that her form was _just fine thanks_ , but then it hit her. “We?”

Tsukki rolled his eyes. “Tsk. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Chiyo’s eyes were as wide as saucers, utterly shocked. Yamaguchi beamed at them both.

Chiyo soon learned that Tsukki’s intentions were sincere. For the next few days, he continued to show up with Yamaguchi, sitting in the same spot just outside of the training space. He was still grouchy and regularly reminded her how much she sucked, but his occasional constructive criticism kept surprising her. Tsukki wasn’t the kind of person to give out praises, but she knew she was doing something right whenever he gave her the smallest nods of approval.

At the end of one of the training days, Chiyo became too exhausted to continue training with Yamaguchi, so he invited Tsukki to join him. Unexpectedly, he didn’t refuse like he used to. Chiyo usually lingered to watch, sitting in Tsukki’s spot at the edge of the open space. She was starting to match up to Yamaguchi, but Tsukki was something else. He was in full control of his long limbs and was unexpectedly agile for someone so tall. Each step and each strike were calculated and performed precisely, without any wasted movement. Yamaguchi struggled to keep up.

During their quick breaks to drink water, Chiyo observed Tsukki’s interactions with Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi’s genuine smiles were a stark contrast to Tsukki’s frowns and half smiles, but Tsukki’s responses were gentler and closer to teasing than the insults he directed at Chiyo. _He does care about Yamaguchi,_ Chiyo noted thoughtfully.

When Yamaguchi and Tsukki were done for the day, the three of them walked together to the food hut, Chiyo a step behind the two of them. It felt nostalgic, a time that felt so long ago with two very different people. She sighed quietly.

Chiyo’s thoughts were interrupted by Yamaguchi turning his head back to look at her. “Hey Chiyo, you go on walks with Ukai-sama, right? What do you two talk about?”

Chiyo shrugged. “Not much, really.” Yamaguchi was still looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to elaborate. “I just listen… He said that I remind him of his son, so…” her voice trailed off.

Yamaguchi raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. I didn’t really know him, so I can’t guess why.”

“He said our personalities are similar,” Chiyo replied indifferently.

“It’s also your face,” Tsukki stated.

“What?” Chiyo stared at the back of Tsukki’s head but he didn’t turn around.

“Your face. Or rather, the mole under your eye. Kouichi Ukai had the same one.”

* * *

As promised, Keishin gathered the shinobi trainees around one morning before training started.

“I have an announcement.” He paused, making eye contact with each of his students. “You’ve all improved so much since you first started. Some of you are young and still have some ways to go, but some are ready to become shinobi.” Keishin grinned widely. “There won’t be an afternoon sparring session today. Instead, if I call your name, you’ll be following me to meet with the shitty old man.”

There were some hushed giggles. Chiyo didn’t understand how someone so respectable like Ukai could have a nickname like that. She supposed only Keishin’s laidback and outgoing nature helped him get away with it.

One by one, Keishin listed the trainees’ names, all of which were the oldest students in the group. He paused after each name to nod in their direction and flash them a proud smile. When he announced Chiyo’s name, her mouth formed an uncharacteristically large “O” and her cat-like eyes bulged. Keishin narrowed his eyes in suspicion, then he shook his head and chuckled. He saw right through her fake surprise. Chiyo dropped the act and gave him a small apologetic smile.

In the end, Keishin called six names, including Chiyo’s. The rest of the day continued like any other, but it passed by agonizingly slowly. Chiyo’s mind was elsewhere. Ukai had mentioned a ceremony, but only the initiated shinobi knew what that meant. She couldn’t imagine what that could be.

When it was finally time, Keishin led the way out of the training grounds as the six of them followed a few steps behind. When Chiyo noticed Yamaguchi and Tsukki walking towards them, she gave them a small wave. The other students gave the two shinobi a wide berth, most still intimidated by Tsukki’s reputation. His height and stern expression certainly didn’t help.

After seeing Chiyo with Keishin and the other students, they pieced together where they were headed. Tsukki gave her a small nod, and Yamaguchi flashed her a warm smile and gave her two thumbs up. “Good luck! You’ll do great,” Yamaguchi reassured her. Chiyo smiled nervously.

The group continued onwards, leaving the village boundary and entering the surrounding mountainous forest. They started down the familiar path where Chiyo and the others were too familiar with, having to sprint up the steep incline almost every morning. However, Keishin veered to the left, somewhere Chiyo didn’t recognize. It was a silent walk through the woods, their practiced footsteps now completely silent as they made their way through the foliage.

After a few minutes, they arrived at a small clearing of trees in front of a steep cliff face. The wall of rock was perfectly vertical and almost unnaturally smooth, except for a few jagged cracks and crevices crisscrossing across the surface. In front of the cliff face stood Ukai, hands behind his back and carefully observing them as they approached.

Their group stopped several steps in front of Ukai and bowed deeply. He studied each of them with a stern expression. This was the intimidating Ukai, much different from the kind one that Chiyo took walks with.

“Today, you become shinobi. Your sole duty is to Karasuno. Do not forget that.” Ukai paused to let the message sink in.

Ukai continued, “It is by tradition that each student must demonstrate the skills and qualities required of shinobi. You must complete a task that every Karasuno shinobi has done before you. At the top of this cliff are six armbands, one for each of you. Retrieve them.”

Chiyo internally groaned. She hated tasks that required pure physical strength and not much thinking. She arched her neck up and scanned the cliff face, trying to find the armband that she’s supposed to retrieve. When her eyes landed on it, she sighed. _It just had to be at the top._ Six arrows were embedded into the cliff face and regularly spaced apart, each with a black strip of fabric wrapped around them.

The six of them positioned themselves directly under each arrow and started climbing. Or rather, Chiyo tried to. On her first try, her fingers slipped unexpectedly and she landed hard on her butt. Someone snickered behind her and her face flushed in embarrassment. Chiyo peeked behind her and realized it was Keishin, not even trying to hide his smirk. Ukai also had an amused expression.

The ledges were barely wide enough to fit her fingers and toes. They were spaced far apart, the adjacent one just out of her reach. After falling for the third time, although managing to land on her feet this time, she frowned. _I don’t think this is a test of strength or who’s the best climber…_

It couldn’t be a coincidence that they were allowed to bring their practice katanas. Yes they were weapons, but that wasn’t their only purpose. Chiyo looked around at the other shinobi. They were making much better progress than she was. The boy in the lead had built an impressive gap between himself and everyone else, already halfway up. Unlike the others who kept their katanas strapped to their backs, he was using his as an anchor to pull himself up. _Clever. I could do that too…_

As Chiyo reached for her katana on her back and turned to focus on her arrow, something bright caught her eye. Squinting, she noticed that the light was from the setting sun reflecting off a kunai, partially hidden under the foliage between her and the adjacent student. Frowning, she examined her surroundings more carefully. Her eyebrows raised in realization. There were all sorts of kunai, shuriken, katana, and other weapons hidden in the clearing.

Chiyo turned around and was met with Ukai and Keishin’s matching grins. _This isn’t just about athleticism or using what we’re given. It’s if we can assess our surroundings and use them too._

Chiyo dashed towards the closest kunai and then gathered as many kunai as she could find. By the time she was back at her climbing spot, she had eight kunai at her disposal. Chiyo smiled faintly. _Yes, this could work._

Chiyo gripped the first kunai firmly and took several steps back to get a better angle, looking up anxiously but determined. Chiyo inhaled, cocked her arms back and threw as hard as she could. It bounced off the cliff face and fell back down. Chiyo’s eyes widened, stepping to the side so that she wouldn’t get impaled by the kunai.

Chiyo sighed in exasperation, but she picked it up and tried again, aiming for the crevice several metres above the base of the cliff. She could feel Ukai and Keishin’s eyes on her, observing what she was up to. Chiyo clenched her teeth and threw it again. This time it stuck. She exhaled a sigh of relief. _This might actually work_.

It took her several more attempts before all eight kunai were firmly wedged into the crevices of the cliff face, regularly spaced apart and creating a path up towards the arrow. The highest kunai was especially hard to wedge in securely and it was still far below the arrow.

_Well, here goes_. Chiyo took a deep breath, squatted, and then launched herself onto the first kunai. Her foot briefly landed on the handle of the kunai before she used her momentum to nimbly jump to the next kunai. She rapidly flew up the cliff face, the wind rushing past her face with each jump. By the time she landed on the last kunai, she was in line with the boy in the lead.

Chiyo unsheathed the katana on her back and, gripping it tightly, stabbed it into the crevice next to her head. Inhaling, she squatted deeply, jumped onto the katana, and then launched herself up the last stretch. Her fingertips managed to hook onto a fold of the black fabric, bringing it down and snapping the arrow as she landed on the katana.

For a moment, she clenched the armband nervously and her eyes widened in fear as the katana wobbled precariously. Deciding that she didn’t want to wait until it dislodged, Chiyo quickly descended along her path of kunai, almost free-falling at her speed.

When Chiyo’s feet planted firmly on stable ground, she allowed herself to finally relax. She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. _I did it!_

The sound of slow clapping disrupted her thoughts. Chiyo looked up to see Keishin grinning and clapping. Beside him, Ukai’s eyes were wrinkled with pride. She glanced around and realized she was the first to retrieve her armband.

Chiyo’s cheeks heated, unused to the attention, but she felt a surge of self-confidence. Her eyes looked down as she smiled, focusing on the black fabric in her fist. She noticed that there was a white character on it. Chiyo unfurled the fabric to read it and her brows raised in surprise.

_Fly_.

How fitting.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing a fanfic, so I hope it's a decent job. I have half of it written, but leave a comment if you have feedback or ideas! I'm open to suggestions


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